vegan – Page 4 – My Whisk and I

Banana Flower Curry

November 23, 2022November 23, 2022by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

30ml vegetable oil
1 small onion, chopped
4 cloves of garlic, minced
10ml ginger powder
15ml garam masala
10ml curry powder
10ml ground cumin
5ml ground coriander
5ml smoked paprika
2,5ml turmeric
5ml salt
15ml sugar
250ml vegetable stock
1 x 400g can coconut milk
2 x 400g cans chopped tomato
3-4 handfuls of baby spinach
2 x cans Banana Blossoms

Place a saucepan on medium-high heat and add the vegetable oil and onion.
Stir-fry until the onion is soft, add the garlic and cook for another minute.
Add the ginger, garam masala, curry powder, cumin, coriander, paprika, turmeric, salt and sugar and stir-fry for a minute or so.
Now add the stock and the coconut milk and stir together.
Add the chopped tomato and turn the heat down slightly. Allow the curry sauce to simmer for 5 minutes or so – you want it to become slightly thicker.
Add the banana blossoms and baby spinach and stir.
Simmer lightly for 10 minutes.
Serve on a fragrant rice.

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Tabbouleh Salad

November 18, 2022November 17, 2022by Karen Claassen1 Comment

250g uncooked spelt
4 medium tomatoes, very finely chopped
1 English cucumber, very finely chopped
2 bunches parsley, very finely chopped
12 mint leaves, very finely chopped
4 green onions, white and green parts, thinly sliced
45ml lemon juice
45ml olive oil
salt and pepper

Prepare the spelt according to instructions and drain.
Add the spelt and all the chopped vegetables and herbs to a mixing bowl.
Drizzle over the lemon juice and olive oil and season with salt and pepper.
Mix through and serve.

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Fondant Potato

October 27, 2022October 27, 2022by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

Fondant potatoes are delicious but quite cheffy to make… I have taken out the chewiness without compromising on any taste. Less fiddling and a delicious, stress-free side-dish!!

45ml vegetable oil
5 large or 10 medium potatoes
45g butter
a handful of thyme
250ml chicken/vegetable stock

Preheat your oven to 200℃.
Peel the potatoes and slice off the rounded ends. Now half the potato so that you have 2 cylinders off at least 4cm in height when they stand on a flat/cut side. (not more than 5cm)
Place a cast iron pan on medium-high heat and add the vegetable oil.
Arrange the potatoes, flat side down in the pan and cook until golden – about 6 minutes.
Flip them around onto the other flat side and brown this side as well – about 6 minutes.
Add the butter to the pan and allow to melt.
Add the thyme (be careful it will spit!) and baste the potato with the butter.
Pore the stock around the potatoes and season with salt and pepper.
Place a lid on the pan and bake in the oven for 35 minutes.
Check that the potatoes are tender by inserting a sharp knife – if not, bake another 5 minutes.
Sprinkle with salt and fresh sprigs of thyme and serve immediately.

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Parmesan Potatoes

October 21, 2022October 20, 2022by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

1 kg small potatoes
90g butter, melted
30ml minced garlic
30ml finely chopped rosemary
125ml grated parmesan cheese
salt and pepper

Preheat your oven to 190℃.
Clean the potatoes and slice each in half.
Now cut a diamond pattern into each half without cutting through. Set aside.
Pour the melted butter, garlic and rosemary into a roasting pan.
Brush the cut side of each halved potato with the mixture and then dip it into the parmesan.
Place the potato halves cut-side down in the roasting tin and repeat with the rest.
Roast the potato for 45 minutes.
Serve immediately.

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Chinese Flatbread

September 13, 2022September 12, 2022by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

Also called Scallion Flatbread or Green Onion Flatbread, these tiny breads are flaky with a crispy outside and wonderfully soft inside. Easy and very straightforward to make!

250g flour
160g HOT water
sunflower oil

30ml sunflower oil
30ml flour
2,5ml salt
40g green onion/scallion, chopped

Add the flour to a mixing bowl and pour in the hot water. Stir with a spatula/spoon until no more flour can be seen.
Combine the mixture into a rough-looking dough with your hands.
Cover the dough with plastic wrap and set aside for 15 minutes.
Uncover and knead by hand until it becomes smooth.
Rub a thin layer of oil over the dough as well as on the work surface.
Roll the dough into a rectangle of about 43cm x 33cm.
Add the 30 ml sunflower oil, flour and salt tot a small mixing bowl and mix together.
Brush the mixture over the rolled dough and sprinkle the green onion over.
Roll the dough, from the short side, into a log that is not too tight.
Cut into 4 equal pieces.
Stand a piece on its cut side, press it down with your hand to flatten slightly and then roll out into a 13cm diameter circle. Repeat with the remaining 3 pieces of dough.
Place a frying pan over medium heat and pour a small amount of oil into it.
Wait for the pan to heat up and place the breads in the pan if you can fit all of them. You may also cook 2 breads at a time if space is a problem.
Place a lid on the pan and cook the flatbread for 3 minutes.
Flip them over and cook for another 2 minutes until done.
Serve while warm.

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Saucy Udon Noodles

September 8, 2022September 7, 2022by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

The recipe makes one large portion but may be doubled as needed.

Sauce:
30ml cornstarch
125ml water, room temperature
60ml soy sauce
45ml honey
15ml lemon juice
2,5ml sesame oil

200g udon noodles
100g mushrooms, pan-fried
cucumber cut into thin “sticks”
radish cut into thin “sticks”

Ensure that the mushrooms are cooked and the cucumber and radish have been sliced and prepped.

For the sauce:
Add the cornstarch to a small mixing bowl and add just enough of the 125ml water to dissolve the cornstarch. Stir briefly.
Add the rest of the water, soy, honey, lemon juice and sesame oil and whisk together until fully incorporated.
Place a pan on medium heat, add the sauce and simmer for 2-3 minutes while stirring continuously.
Remove the sauce from the heat as soon as it thickens – it is going back on so simply pull it away.

Cook the noodles according to packet instructions.
Place the sauce back on the heat and add the noodles.
Stir for about a minute so that the noodles absorb some of the sauce.
Spoon the noodles and any sauce into a serving bowl and arrange the mushroom, cucumber and radish on the noodles.
Serve immediately and slurp away!!

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Peanut-Corn Polenta

September 6, 2022September 5, 2022by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

2,5ml curry powder
2,5ml turmeric
2,5ml ground ginger
2,5ml onion seeds
2,5ml ground coriander
2,5ml ground cinnamon
83ml peanuts
3-4 corn cobs, kernels shaved off or 350g frozen corn kernels, defrosted
500ml (2x tins) coconut milk
500ml chicken/vegetable stock
2,5ml salt
250ml quick-cook polenta
a handful of parsley, chopped

Place a frying pan on medium heat and add about 45ml vegetable oil to it.
Add the curry powder, turmeric, ginger, onion seeds, coriander and cinnamon and cook while stirring, for about 2 minutes.
Now add the peanuts and stir them around in the spices for about a minute.
Add the corn kernels and stir-fry for another 3 minutes or so. Remove from the heat and set aside.
Pour the coconut milk and chicken stock into a saucepan and bring to a boil.
Add the salt.
Gradually whisk in the polenta, making sure there are no lumps.
Simmer, stirring constantly for about 5 minutes, until thick.
Stir half of the corn kernel mixture into the polenta.
Spoon on to a serving dish, spoon the rest of the corn on top and scatter with parsley.

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Sesame Cauliflower

September 5, 2022September 4, 2022by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

1 head of cauliflower (about 650-700g), cut into florets
125ml bread flour
190ml water
310ml panko breadcrumbs

Sauce:
Slurry: 30ml cornstarch and 30ml water
45ml soy sauce
15ml lemon juice
60ml honey
15ml sesame oil
2,5ml ground ginger
250ml water

3 stalks of green onion, sliced
a handful of sesame seeds

Preheat your oven to 220℃ and line a baking sheet with baking paper.
Cut the cauliflower head in half. Break it into medium sized florets and cut off the stems. Set aside.
Add the bread flour and 190ml water to a mixing bowl and whisk together until smooth.
Add the breadcrumbs to another bowl.
Now, dip a floret into the flour and water mixture, roll/coat it with the breadcrumbs and place it on the prepared baking sheet. Continue until all the florets are coated in breadcrumbs.
Space the florets on the lined baking sheet and bake in the oven for 20-25 minutes. They should be golden and dry.

For the sauce:
Prepare a slurry by whisking the cornstarch and water together. Keep aside.
Add the soy, lemon juice, honey, sesame oil, ginger and water to a small saucepan and whisk together.
Pour in the slurry while whisking continuously.
Place the saucepan on medium-low heat and simmer for about 10 minutes, stirring every now and then.
Pour the sauce over the baked florets and gently mix through to cover all the cauliflower in the sauce.
Serve with a scattering of green onions and sesame seeds.

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Stuffed Sweet Peppers

July 28, 2022June 22, 2022by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

250ml orzo pasta
6 sweet peppers
200ml olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 onions, finely chopped
4 zucchini, diced
50g pine nuts, toasted
50g feta cheese, crumbled
50g black olives, pitted and chopped
250ml chopped tomato

Preheat your oven to 180℃.
Cook the orzo pasta according to packet instructions and keep aside.
Cut the tops off the peppers so that you have a “lid”. Scoop out the insides with a teaspoon and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
Place the peppers in an ovenproof dish and set aside.
Heat 100ml olive oil in a frying pan, add the garlic, onion and zucchini and cook gently for 10 minutes.
Add the cooked orzo, pine nuts, feta cheese, olives and tomatoes and stir through.
Spoon the mixture into the peppers and pour over the remaining olive oil. You may place the tops which you cut off onto the peppers.
Bake in the oven for 35 minutes.
Serve warm or at room temperature.

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Yoghurt Beetroot Salad/Pantzarosalata

July 15, 2022June 17, 2022by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

This Greek beetroot salad is refreshing, earthy, creamy and crunchy – all at the same time!!

600g beetroot
45ml olive oil
zest and juice of 1 lime
2 cloves of garlic, minced
10ml red wine vinegar
30ml parsley, chopped
320g yoghurt
50g pistachio nuts, chopped

Preheat your oven to 180℃.
Wash the beetroot and wrap each individually in aluminium foil. Bake for one hour and then allow to cool.
Peel the cooked beetroot and cut into small dice. Set aside.
Add the olive oil, lemon zest and juice, garlic and red wine vinegar to a mixing bowl and whisk together.
Add the diced beetroot and parsley and season with salt and pepper.
Add the yoghurt and half of the chopped pistachio and gently mix through.
Scatter the rest of the nuts over the salad and serve.